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CMH:R

December 12th, 1936


Dear Michaela:

It is sweet of you to think of me in connection with business, and I appreciate ever-so-much your sending me photographs of those two beautiful paintings.

As you know, I do not personally specialize in old paintings, being more particularly concerned with those of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.  However, I showed the photographs to Mr. Seligmann and he told me that he knew of these pictures very well, and as a matter of fact, these pictures are so important that the whole trade knows about them.  They have been offered around a great deal in the last years, and the prices asked are prohibitive, in a way, although one day I suppose that one of the last two great fortunes in the world might perhaps acquire them, but I can foresee that the profit left tot he middleman would be infinitesimal.  As a conclusion, there is nothing one can do about this, and I would advise you not to waste any time on them.  However, do not let this first negative answer disappoint you for future efforts.

We are, indeed, quite eager to find some fine Italian paintings, either Primitives or by 17th and 18th century masters.  Always keep eyes and ears open on this subject.  I know that you have enough culture and taste not to call to my attention anything not worthwhile.

I do not understand very clearly the second part of your letter referring to files.  However, if you want my opinion regarding pictures called, in this country, "shorts", especially of a didactic tendency, it seems to me that there would be a market for them with all the movie-houses specializing in one hour programs, or with schools and universities, but I doubt whether it is a money-making proposition.  You would have to relay on a world wide market, because outside of New York and maybe one other big city in America, documentary pictures seem to have no appeal.


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